Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Ont. minor hockey league looks to 'foster growth' with consent training

Share

As Hockey Canada looks to new leadership in the wake of recent sexual-assault-related scandals, some in the game are working to repair hockey culture from the ground up.

Through a partnership with the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre in Peterborough, Ont., members of Douro Minor Hockey are learning about a range of topics from consent and healthy relationships to bystander intervention and handling rejection.

"Starting this training really young is going to foster growth within that hockey community and show the true leaders leading up to more professional hockey to be able to stand up against sexual violence and gender-based violence," Brittany McMillan, executive director of the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, told CTV National News.

The partnership comes following revelations of alleged sexual assaults by former members of Canada's men's national junior team, as well as Hockey Canada's handling of those accusations, including payouts from its National Equity Fund to settle sexual misconduct claims.

"As with anybody there was shock, there was disgust at the way it was handled and it really started to get us thinking in regards to how can we get better outcomes for our children in our community," Kerri Riel, secretary of Douro Minor Hockey, told CTV National News.

With about 200 players between ages five and 18 in the league, the goal is to have everyone attend a session, with the curriculum focused on specific age groups.

"That's one of the things that we're doing that we can change in the immediacy, is the way that we talk in the locker room has an impact on the way that we see the wider world and it informs our perspective," Luke Bentvelzen, mending co-ordinator with Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, told CTV National News. "So we really want to make sure that that's where we start."

For some, learning with teammates can be easier than having an awkward conversation with parents.

"I'd rather learn it with my team than learn it on my own," said 14-year-old Jack Hickey. "It's a better environment to learn in."

On Monday, Hockey Canada announced its nominees for a new board of directors, including five women and four men.

Among them is Cassie Campbell-Pascal, who captained Canada's women's team to gold-medal-winning performances at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics.

Hockey Canada's provincial and territorial members will vote Saturday on whether to accept the new slate of candidates or not.

With files from The Canadian Press

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

Toronto police say they are searching for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed his brother in an argument at a Scarborough housing complex late Saturday night.

Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected